Tag: Christmas Special

If you know me at all, you know that I absolutely adore Pentatonix and everything they’re doing and have been doing for the past few years. I don’t remember why, but I missed their Christmas special last year and I refused to do it again this time around!

This year’s special aired Monday, November 27th on NBC at 10/9c, and it was adorable! If you missed it, don’t worry . . . the special will re-air on Wednesday, December 6th at 8pm. Do not be like me last year and miss both airings! You can also find a link to the special on their Twitter page @PTXofficial, so there are no excuses lol.

The one-hour special featured an amazing duet with Oscar, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, BAFTA and Grammy Award winner Jennifer Hudson, an appearance by “America’s Got Talent” winner Darci Lynne Farmer and a duet (and hilarious sketch) with country music star Brett Eldredge.

As usual, the vocals were exceptional throughout the entire show.

The only part that threw me off a bit was Avi’s absence. If you were previously unaware, Avi Kaplan left the group earlier this year to pursue a solo career as Avriel & the Sequoias. Filling in on bass is Matt Sallee – who sounded incredible. While it was odd seeing Pentatonix perform without Avi, I thought Matt did a great job. He even got Avi’s stamp of approval on Twitter: “Beautiful! It is now officially Christmas. @mattsalleemusic you are killin on bass! Much love to you brother.” I’m not sure if he will be invited to permanently join the group, but it was a bit awkward at times when they would have him come out to sing bass with them and then he’d walk off stage while Kevin, Mitch, Kirstin and Scott entertained the audience. His name was also listed separately from the group during the credits. I say invite him to join! Avi approves and is doing his own thing, so why not?

Either way, I thought the show was a great little Christmas special. They didn’t sing my favorite, “That’s Christmas to Me,” or my mom’s favorite, “Hallelujah,” but I can forgive them for it because their vocals and the show’s stage design really put me in the Christmas spirit!

Here’s the video of their version of “Deck the Halls,” which was released ahead of the special:

If that didn’t satisfy your craving for great music, here’s a video of the duet with Jennifer Hudson from the special:

Be sure to check out the special, and watch for the closing of the show especially. The group sang their version of “Imagine” and it was absolutely beautiful. Let me know what you thought!

YouTube today announced that it has ordered “The Keys of Christmas,” a holiday special starring global superstar Mariah Carey and YouTube musical sensation Rudy Mancuso that features original musical performances by many of the hottest acts around including Carey, Ciara, DJ Khaled and Fifth Harmony. “The Keys of Christmas” will debut on YouTube Red on December 19, 2016.

The star-studded ensemble cast will shepherd Mancuso on a magical adventure of the true meaning of Christmas. This seasonal tale, from Endemol Shine North America and its digital studio Endemol Shine Beyond USA and Just Entertainment Studios, will uncover what happens when you accidentally go off the grid on Christmas Eve with no phone and no way to function on this festive night.

World renowned and Grammy Award-winning music director Dave Meyers (Katy Perry’s “Firework,” Pink’s “Just Like Fire” and Rihanna’s “Where Have You Been”) will direct “The Keys of Christmas.” This special will also feature original musical performances by Alex Aiono, Boyce Avenue, Nicky Jam, Bebe Rexha and Gregory Brothers. Boxing legend Mike Tyson will make a special appearance, as he and the others join Mariah to show Rudy the true meaning of Christmas.

“Music is wildly popular on YouTube and we’re excited to bring together some of the biggest names in music alongside some of the biggest stars on YouTube. The musical icons and rising artists in ‘The Keys of Christmas’ bring this new holiday tale to life,” said Ben Relles, Head of Unscripted for YouTube Originals. “We are also thrilled to have YouTube comedy star Rudy Mancuso in his first leading role in a music special.”

“‘The Keys of Christmas’ is truly a modern take on the holiday variety special, bringing together traditional and digital natives in this very unique musical format for the YouTube audience,” said Bonnie Pan, President, Endemol Shine Beyond USA. “Dave Meyers, who has an amazing track record working with the top musical acts of our time, had a vision and was able to weave that into a fresh new format with the likes of Mariah Carey, Ciara, DJ Khaled, Fifth Harmony, Rudy Mancuso and many other incredible performers just in time for Christmas.”

“Nothing makes you believe in a Christmas miracle more than creating a show where over 20 super stars from Mariah Carey to DJ Khaled, Rudy Mancuso, Fifth Harmony and the champ himself, Mike Tyson, all come together,” said Justin Hochberg, CEO of Just Entertainment Studios. “Christmas is the global holiday, so launching this show with YouTube Red in the U.S. and so many other countries all on one magical night is the perfect partnership; and would make Santa proud.”

YouTube Red is a paid membership that gives you an enhanced, uninterrupted experience across YouTube, YouTube Music, and YouTube Gaming. Members also get exclusive access to new Original series and movies from top YouTubecreators. YouTube Red is currently available in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Mexico, with plans for additional international expansion next year.